The Office of the Commissioner for Persons Missing in Special Circumstances has developed an interactive map showing the places of the alleged disappearance of Ukrainian servicemen.

Source: Coordination Center for the Treatment of Prisoners of War

“It should also be noted that all information about the alleged place of disappearance or the last known whereabouts of a serviceman, which is available to relatives of missing persons, should be transferred to the Office of the Ombudsman,” the headquarters said.

Approximately 7,000 servicemen were considered missing as of April 2023, said Oleh Kotenko, the Commissioner for Persons Missing under Special Circumstances. According to him, this category includes those who were killed and captured.

In addition, due to the difficult combat situation in certain places, evacuating fallen soldiers’ bodies may be difficult. The Office also restores contact with the dead and returns their bodies. After the territory is liberated and demined, search teams carry out relevant work in these areas.

When people are considered missing

Missing relatives or friends are those with whom contact has been lost due to: armed conflict, hostilities, temporary occupation, or natural or man-made emergency.

If relatives cannot establish contact with the missing person for more than three days, an official search process should be initiated.

Where to begin the search and where to go

First, it is necessary to contact the police. A relative of such a person can file an application for a missing person under exceptional circumstances, a representative of a military unit, a state authority, a local government body, a public association, or any other person who has become aware of the disappearance.

See also

  • Russia deported 561 Ukrainian children from Kharkiv region. Along with children, there are about 1,007 cases of forced deportation of civilians. Within the criminal proceedings, all of them are registered as missing persons.
  • One year in captivity: Kyiv held a rally to commemorate the release of defenders from Azovstal. The defenders of Mariupol who left Azovstal have been in Russian captivity for a year now, where they faced only torture, abuse and death.
  • Constant missile attacks and empty streets: how Kupiansk lives on the front line. The city was severely damaged at the beginning of the full-scale invasion and during the battle for its liberation in September 2022. Today, it is constantly under fire from Russian MLRS and S-300 systems.